Retaining device



June 10, 1930. H, BEHNKE 1,762,757

RETAINING DEVICE Filed July 6, 1927 W INVENTOR BY MY'ZJ ZZ ATTORNEYj Patented June 10, 1930- UNITED: STATES PATENT OFFICE coin) HlBEI-INKE OEFLUSHING, NEW YORK, assranon, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, r MOTO METER GAUGE & EQUIPMENT CORPORATION, or LONG ISLAND CITY, new

YORK, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE RETAINING- DEVICE Application filed July 6, 1927. Serial No. 203,743.

particularly to retaining means for preventing the removal and theft of such a radiator cap. The general object of the invention is to provide a new and effective retaining device which is simple in structure, economical to manufacture and easy to apply. Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and effective retaining device which may be installed merely by forcing one end part into the radiator cap and the other end part into 3 the radiator neck.

The invention will be understood from the following description taken in connect1on with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation illustrating apreferred form of the invention;

Figure 2 is a view in a plane perpendicular to the plane, of the section in Figure 1; and

Figure 8 is a sectional viewtakcn along the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, the invention is illustrated in connection with a radiator cap 10. internally threadedto screw upon the threaded-upper end of a radiator neck 11 hav ing at its upper edge an internal annular flange 12. The securing device is shown as comprising a sheet metal member or plate 13 cut away at its circumference to provide branches or arms 14 having arcuate outer edges adapted to engage the threaded or circumferentially grooved inner wall of the radiator cap, plate 13 is a chain 15 of which two links at the upper end thereof extend through a central opening in the member 13 and are upset outwardly to secure the chain to the plate or member 13. The radiator cap 10 may be equipped with any suitable device or instrument 22 which may be secured to the cap by a threaded portion thereof screwed into the top of the cap and locked in such position in any I,

suitable manner. The chain 15 passes through a ring 17 forming part of the device 18 for locking the chain 15 to the radiator neck 11 and withdrawal of the chain from the ring 17 may be prevented by a split ring 19 attached to end links of the chain 15 and of such size as to be incapable of passin through the Secured to the middle of the opening of the ring 17. The device 18 may be unitary and includes, in addition to ring 17, arms 20 extending outwardly therefrom and then upwardly and outwardly. The ring 17 is flared outwardly from its lower edge to its upper edge so as not to interfere with the movement of the flexible connection or chain 15 as the latter is pulled up in shifting the radiator cap in various directions to positions such as indicated in Figure 2. It will be noted that at opposite sides of the ring 17 there are upwardly and outwardly flared lips 21 forming reinforcing flanges.

The device may be applied as follows:

The sheet metal member 13 may be forced up into the radiator cap 10 thus causing rearward bending of the outer edges of the arms 14 and subsequent springing of said rearwardly bent edges into the circumferential grooves of the threaded portion and lock the member 13 against removal especially by pulling the chain,15. A washer 23 may then be inserted in the cap 10. The device 18 may be forced downwardly into the neck 11, the arms 20 being sprung together sufliciently to permit them to pass the flange orrib 12 and then snapping outwardly into position beneath the same as soon as device 18 has been inserted far enough. The cap 10 may then be screwed on the top of the radiator neck 11.

It will be apparent that devices constructed according to the present invention may be applied very readily and will then effect a permanent locking connection between the radiator cap and the radiator neck. It should be understood that the chain or flexible connection 15 is of such length as to permit the radiator cap 10, when unscrewed, to be tilted sufliciently to one side to permit filling the radiator with water without interference by the radiator cap.

As herein disclosed, the outer ends or edges of the arms 14.- of member 13 co-operate with the threaded inner wall of the radiator cap. It should be understood, however, that the cap may be provided with recesses, shoulders or grooves formed independently of screw threads such as those utilized for fastening the cap 10 on the neck 11. Furthermore, the upper ends of the arms 20 may co-operate with any suitable formation at the inner lateral surface of the neck 11, for example, recesses or downwardly facing shoulders at the inside of the neck.

It should' be understood that Various changes may be resorted to Within the scope of the invention and that portions ofthe im-.. I v

. elud ng an inverted U-shaped device having provement-s may be used without others.

, Wha't Icla'im is: a T

'1. The combination"with a radiator cap grooved circumferentially in the interior thereof, of radiator-cap-retaining means in cluding an arched member adapted to extend across the cap constructed to y eld 1n one direction at, its edge. to permit insertion into said cap and to engage the-grooved nterror surface of said cap and be lockedrpermanently and positively against removal.

425 interior of said cap and be bent back during to grip said grooved portion 2. The combination with a radiator cap,

grooved circumferentially' in the interior thereof, of radiator-cap-reta1 n1ng means ininsertion into the cap and when inserted prevent removal.

3. Means'for attachingla radiator cap recessed at its lateral interior surface to a radiator neck having a downwardly facing shoulder formation at the interior thereof,

including a metal plate to besprung into said capandeffect lockinglengagement with the recessed inner'surface to prevent removal "of the plate,' a'device with spring portions arranged to be sprung inwardly in inserting said device in said neck'and to snap'beneath said shoulder formation and lock said devlce "tached to: said centers. v s

l. Means for-attaching a radiator cap circumferentiallygrooved internally to ara diator neck having'a downwardly facing shoulder formation at the interior" there- "against removal, and a flexible connection atplate andsaid device at their -of, including a: metal plate to be sprung 5 into said cap with backwardly sprung "edges to engage the internal grooved porso serting said 'deviceinto said'neck and to snap beneath said shoulder formation and be 'locked'against removal,- and a flexible 'connection between said plate andsaid device am-Or the cap and prevent removal of the plate, a device with upstanding spring and spread to rib and expanded beneath the same to lock having a downwardly facing annular'shoul vder, of a radiator-cap-retainingf device incentral body portion provided withan opening and upstanding and outspread spring arms sprung inwardly in inserting the deviceand snapping outwardly beneath said shoulder when carried past thesame, and means forming. a. permanent lost motion connection between'th'e cap and said member including a flexible connector permanently secured to the cap and passed downward through the opening in said device and a member secured to the lower end of the con-' nectorand permanently of too great size to be drawn upward through S2116. opening. 7. The combination with'a radiator neck having a downwardly facing shoulder forma-i position beneath said: shoulder formation, a flexible connection between saidcap and said.

device passing'through said ring, and means 'tionQofaradiator-cap retaining device havr attached'to-the lower end vof said fiexible' connection to. prevent withdrawalof the chain from the; ring, said ring being flared outwardly from the'bottomto the top.

- 8-. M eans for looking a radiator capto a radiator 1 neck including a central flexible portion, a'do'wnw'ardly concave device at one end automatically locked to said cap by insertion therein, and an upwardlyc'oncave de-;

,vice at the other end automatically lockedto said radiator neck by insertion therein.

'- 'I n testimony whereof'I have afiixed my' s gnatureto this specification.

' CORD'H. BEH NKE.

arms arranged tobe sprung inwardly in injacent the'i'iiner wall of theneck throughout "theirentire lengthsto 'be sprung past said 

